Is Birdy a rooster or a hen?

[Alexandra33]

Birdy is a beautiful pullet. Your rooster is actually a Dominique. Gorgeous birds!

I second this all way.

~Alex

 

[ZEbonyfox]

If I'm reading this right, the new pullet is integrated and doing well with the existing pullet flock and it's the cockerel who is being a bit over the top? If that's the case- and he is the same age (under a year and therefor not a rooster yet), then he hasn't learned to be a gentleman yet. His hormones are raging and he needs to cool his jets. Many people keep cockerels separate until a year for this reason. He also could still see her as a threat to their resources and being a jerk for that.

I haven't had to separate cockerels completely yet as I keep pretty mellow breeds (marans) but if one wants to be a jerk, well there are plenty of nice Roos out there. Cochins and faverolles have a rep for being very good boys also.

That's exactly right. The girls are all fine and they are a flock now but the cockerel doesn't approve.

I didn't know people separated the boys. I'm so used to ducks! So much easier to introduce new members!

Raging hormones does make sense. His personality has started to shift recently. I think I'll hold off and wait until he calms down a bit more before doing another introduction. I don't want to keep stressing Birdy out. Hopefully, he grows into a gentleman. He's so large and alert he seems like he would be a great protector. Since the girls are free range I need a reliable rooster to keep an eye for them.

 

[ZEbonyfox]

I don't think you'll need to get rid of your boy. As others have said, she is new and will take some time to integrate into the flock, particularly as they have been together so long without any new members. It is always difficult to integrate a single hen into an established flock, and the fact that these three have never had to let anyone join their family before will only exacerbate this.

Just keep trying and they will get used to her. Maybe get a couple more hens or pullets to join her if you feel she is being picked on excessively. Ideally, you want at least 8 hens per cockerel.

Thank you! I really hope so! I'm going to give him some more time to adjust to her.
I have been looking to add to the flock, but so far I haven't had any luck finding pullets around their age in my area. The ones I have found include a cockerel they are not willing to separate from the flock.

The girls have accepted her though so that's no longer an issue. It's just getting the cockerel to accept her now. They don't pick on her at all. well, the top hen has her occasional moments but it's just a light warning peck during breakfast and Birdy will just join the other hen lol.

 

[ZEbonyfox]

It sounds like your rooster is trying to show his dominance, as well as show Birdy that she is his hen now. Since all the Dominiques came together, they sort of see her as an out sider. If it were me, I would put the girls to bed and when it's starting to get darker, take your rooster out of his pen and try putting him in with the girls when the visibility is lower. They might wake up a new flock, but I would go out before it's really light outside just in case.

I'm going to let him grow up a little more then try this method over a weekend. I really, really hope a night together will settle him down! XD I'm gonna be getting up SUPER early. My other rooster wakes the world well before the sun is up at like 4am.

 

[Sneebsey]

I'm sure things will settle down with time. Hopefully his little stint in chicken jail will help mellow him out.

Another thought; has she started to lay yet? Younger pullets who are not yet laying will not allow a cockerel to breed, and this could be part of the cause of his behaviour.

 

[ZEbonyfox]

I'm sure things will settle down with time. Hopefully his little stint in chicken jail will help mellow him out.

Another thought; has she started to lay yet? Younger pullets who are not yet laying will not allow a cockerel to breed, and this could be part of the cause of his behavior.

No, she's like a month or so behind the other girls. He hasn't attempted to mount the other girls yet either that I know of. They just laid their first eggs about 2 weeks ago (while he was still in chicken jail)

 

[Sneebsey]

That may be an aspect of your issue, then; the boys tend to mature earlier than the girls, which can cause problems when they attempt to breed. Once everyone is laying and therefore more 'receptive' to his charms, I would integrate him and see how he does with them.

 

[Riche Bronson]

Hello everyone! I said I would never do it, but this year I took the plunge and decided to get chickens. And like chips, you can't just have one apparently...

So, I have two flock. One large breed with three wyandonnettes (that's what the woman who sold them to me said but I'm pretty sure they are Plymouth Rocks. One rooster and two hens. And one small flock with one d'anver rooster two d'anver hens and three d'uccle hens.

Long story short. I acquired a Rhode island red (we think) after my dad impulse bought some chicks and a coop and a couple of months later two dogs got on his property and killed the entire flock except Birdy.
We thought she was a hen and so I told him I would take her and integrate her into my flock.

Now Birdy is very very sweet and gentle. She is dead last in the pecking order. So she could settle down I first tried to integrate into the small flock. She liked those hens but my rooster was having none of it. My d'anver rooster is sort of a jerk though so I wasn't too surprised. He might be small but he is mighty! and he attacks my ducks too.

When I tried my large flock the hens went after her. So I split the flock and introduced her to one hen. After they became friends I added in the final hen. Now with the girls getting along I thought it would be easy to reintroduce my rooster. I finally let them all out today and it went terribly! All my rooster was interested in was attacking her. Birdy was so terrified she flew into my arms! Now the rooster is penned again and the girls are outside and everything is peaceful again.

So TL;DR. I'm wondering if it's possible the reason my rooster doesn't like Birdy that she is actually a rooster?? Everyone is under a year. The BR rooster isn't mating yet but he is starting to crow. The hens just began laying a week or so ago. The were Easter chicks and Birdy was bought around March. She doesn't look or act like a rooster (no crowing, no agression, no interest in the hens) but I need to make she isn't.

At this point my rooster has got to go. He's beautiful and not that bad honestly, ( i inserted a picture of him as well) but Birdy is the house favorite. If Birdy is a rooster then I can work on getting more hens but if she is a hen I need to find a Rooster who will accept her not chase her off.

Can someone help me out? Please and thank you!!

Imo, she’s a beautiful pullet! Here’s some info I gave to another poster yesterday about how to tell:

 

[Riche Bronson]

Imo, she’s a beautiful pullet! Here’s some info I gave to another poster yesterday about how to tell:

Oh for Pete’s sake!! I’m malfunctioning over here! Ugh!

Anyway, as I was saying (before I had my little brain fart and posted half of a comment) here is how you tell, for future reference- (copied and pasted from a post I commented on yesterday).

* And I would get rid of the rooster too! Imo they’re more trouble than they’re worth.. unless you want chicks, but then you can always “borrow” one for a few days. Lol. Our local feed store always has a couple bins marked “free roosters”, and I sure know why!! I’ve ended up with a few (mis-sexed by the breeder) and tried to keep them but as soon as they come of age, in my experience, they immediately go from cute fuzzy little Jekylls, to terrible bullying Mr. Hyde’s! They just seem to be little wrench thowers and bombs droppers in to the entire system! But, that’s just me! Some people love their roosters. I’ve YET to find one that wasn’t hostile, aggressive, and all around unpleasant to have around- and for no apparent reason besides male testosterone, dominance, and all that other.. male stuff. Lol. I don’t it’s your chicky girl at all!

“Cockerels combs may be taller larger upright and more pronounced. Their combs are also usually more red than a pullets. In certain breeds the cockerel may also have shorter primary wing feathers, and their feet are sometimes bigger than pullets the same age/breed.
The best, most fail-safe method (besides crowing of course) is to look at the hackles (around the neck) and saddle feathers (in front of the tail) when the bird is about 3 months old. By that age, cockerels will have long and pointy saddle feathers, while a pullet’s will be more rounded. Pullet’s saddle and hackles feathers can look a little pointy, too. However they're not as thin or as long as cockerel’s feathers. The shapes of these hackle and saddle feathers will indicate for sure whether you have a cockerel or a pullet...in every breed but silkies and seabrights.”

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Could you get a picture of your rooster's head? I think I see a single comb, which would indicate that he is a barred rock, not a dominique.